If you haven’t heard of the new beauty buzzword bronde then you clearly haven’t seen those Jennifer Lopez adverts with L’Oreal showing off her lust-worthy locks – because she is worth it. The new beauty hair trend du jour is neither blonde nor brunette but a more wearable, and more natural looking, combination of the two. As one of team Emirates Woman‘s few brunettes I decided to take on the new hue with the help of theUAE’s master colourist and hairdressing queen, Maria Dowling.
THE TREATMENT: Bronde Highlights.
THE LOW DOWN:
Bronde fuses sun-kissed blonde highlights (usually no more than three shades lighter than your natural colour) with brunette lengths. It is achieved via free-painting highlights on the hair, rather than using foils. Free-painting offers a more natural effect. So rather than harsh contrasts the hair looks as if it has been lightened by the sun.
When free-painting Maria backcombs the hair first to further help pick out random strands so the look isn’t too perfect. The hair is not bleached all the way through, instead the lighter colour is layered on softly near the mid-section and thicker towards the ends.
What makes Maria’s technique so unique is that she mixes new revolutionary product Olaplex Bond Multiplier No.1 into her mixture and finishes by applying Olaplex Bond Perfector No.2 after the colour is rinsed out, to dramatically reduce breakage. I won’t go into the science behind it but essentially the Olaplex helps multiply bonds which means it makes your hair stronger and more glossy.
Before: My naturally dark hair didn’t complement my skin tone
THE RESULT:
Bronde is a low-commitment colour which suits virtually all skin tones. Due to the subtle techniques in the colouring there is minimum damage to the hair. In fact, perhaps due to the Olaplex used on my hair, my locks have never looked so glossy or felt so strong. The result is a more natural and complementary hair colour and is perfect for those wanting to look after the condition of their hair. Maria gave me the Olaplex Hair Protector No. 3 to use at home after every four washes. This just further helps strengthen the hair post treatment.
After: Not only is the new colour more flattering but the Olaplex has made my hair feel so much stronger
THE DETAILS:
Bronde highlights (takes around two hours) from Dhs450. Olaplex Hair Protector No. 3 Dhs150. Maria Dowling, Al Mina Residence, Al Mina Road (opposite Ramada Plaza)
